Computers & Business Machines

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.
The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers


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Reva
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- February 25 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.474
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.474
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Book, The Business Machines and Equipment Digest
- Description
- This is a detailed catalogued of business equipment available in 1927, compiled by a Chicago firm headed bty J. H. McCarthy.
- This copy of the book is from the Patent Library of the Marchant Calculating Machine Company.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1927
- maker
- Equipment Research Corporation
- ID Number
- 1979.3084.160
- catalog number
- 1979.3084.160
- nonaccession number
- 1979.3084
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Bobbed Hair Bobbie
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1925
- copyright date
- 1925
- ID Number
- 2014.3069.156
- accession number
- 2014.3069
- catalog number
- 2014.3069.156
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Usa Brilliant Bob Bar
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.223
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.223
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Reva
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.470
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.470
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Charline Wonder Hair Restorer
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.336
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.336
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Charline Wonder Hair Restorer
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.335
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.335
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Cramer''s Hair Tonic
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- October 28 1930
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.429
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.429
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Half Has Never Been Told; The Old Rugged Cross
- Description
- Homer Rodeheaver. side 1: The Half Has Never Been Told; side 2: The Old Rugged Cross (Rainbow 1015).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1922
- recording artist
- Rodeheaver, Homer
- manufacturer
- Rainbow
- ID Number
- 1996.0320.26281
- accession number
- 1996.0320
- catalog number
- 1996.0320.26281
- collector/donor number
- 2553
- maker number
- 1015
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
vest
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1905-1925
- maker
- Capper & Capper
- maker; tailor
- Capper & Capper
- ID Number
- CS.212882.006
- catalog number
- 212882.006
- accession number
- 212882
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Charline Wonder Hair Restorer
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.332
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.332
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Reva
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.471
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.471
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Mamamita; 35th Street Blues
- Description (Brief)
- Jelly Roll Morotn. side 1: Mamamita; side 2: 35th Street Blues (Steiner/Davis SD-101).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1924
- recording artist
- Morton, Jelly Roll
- ID Number
- 1988.0698.1756
- catalog number
- 1988.0698.1756
- accession number
- 1988.0698
- collector/donor number
- M115
- maker number
- SD-101
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
CTA Signs
- date made
- ca 1920s
- ID Number
- 2003.0074.17Kab
- accession number
- 2003.0074
- catalog number
- 2003.0074Kab
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
For Sale, Junk
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1923
- ID Number
- 1989.0340.02
- accession number
- 1989.0340
- catalog number
- 1989.0340.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Bal-Pru Oil
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.436
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.436
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Republican National Convention
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1920
- associated person
- Lincoln, Abraham
- associated institution
- Republican National Party
- ID Number
- PL.227739.1920.J01
- catalog number
- 227739.1920.J01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Two Self-test Optometers: Tester from Scientific Self-Tester from the Clear-Sight Spectacle Co. and Tester from Self-Test Optical Co.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- ca 1928
- maker
- Clear-Sight Spectacle Co.
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN82856X18
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Malt Lax
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1928
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.176
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.176
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Cramer''s Hair Tonic
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- October 28 1930
- 1929
- ID Number
- 1990.3170.428
- nonaccession number
- 1990.3170
- catalog number
- 1990.3170.428
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Pages
Filter Your Results
- data source
-
topic
- Music 61
- Amusements 55
- Musical instruments 54
- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-IL-box 6 28
- Mathematics 27
- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-IL-box 13 24
- Health & Medicine 23
- Science 22
- Religion 14
- Sports 14
- Adding Machines 12
- NNC-Certified Proofs-Face-IL-box 12 11
- Furnishings 9
- Beauty and Health 8
- Presidents 8
- Women's Health 8
- Baseball 7
- Government 7
- Antibody Initiative: Veterinary Vaccines and Serums 6
- Laxatives 6
-
object type
- Certified Proof 65
- Exchange Medium 65
- Face 65
- Money 65
- certified proof 65
- Prints 26
- hair product label 26
- Sound recordings 20
- biological 19
- Liquor Pituitarii 18
- Liquor Pituitarii; Biological Extracts; Biologicals; Drugs; Liquid 18
- biological extract, pituitary 18
- bookplate 16
- music roll 14
- Sheet music 13
- Drawings 11
- Medicine 11
- Etchings (prints) 9
- Photographs 8
- adding machine 7
- date
- place
- culture
-
set name
- Medicine and Science: Medicine 103
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection 75
- Coins, Currency and Medals 65
- Music & Musical Instruments 54
- Popular Entertainment 49
- Work and Industry: Graphic Arts 34
- Culture and the Arts: Entertainment 32
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments 28
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics 25
- Health & Medicine 23
- Science & Mathematics 22
- Mechanical Musical Instruments 21
- Home and Community Life: Domestic Life 14
- Religion 14
- Adding Machines 12
- Medicine and Science: Chemistry 12
- Balm of America 11
- National Museum of American History 11
- Political and Military History: Political History, Campaign Collection 11
- Beauty and Health 8